Medical alert devices are often marketed to the elderly as a means to stay in contact with caretakers and emergency services. Some devices also enable the measurement of behavioral and environmental parameters. Unfortunately, many patients neglect to wear their medical alert devices, resulting in a disconnect between the patient and emergency services. Additionally, behavioral and environmental parameters collected by the device during a non-wear state can prove inaccurate. To date the devices cannot determine their wear state in a power-efficient and accurate method.